Yesterday there was an article in “The Independent” – “'It's terminal': How to break bad news” and it was about how so many Doctors fail to give the “bad news” in a proper and caring manner. Certainly for us this was true. When we had the “Bad News” interview in November 2006 – Dr “E” the Oncologist was very, very blunt – and strangely I have absolutely no problem with this – I don’t want false hope raised and I do want the opportunity and time to ask questions. This we had. We were also told that I could have chemotherapy in two versions – a mild one which would give me a life expectation of around 3 to 6 months or very aggressive chemotherapy which would give me a life expectation of around 6 months to a year. I took the latter.
My objection was that when our consultation was over we were offered absolutely no support – in an ideal world we should have been given a private room to sit in for a little, whilst we adjusted to this horrendous news; and even better we should have been offered a cup of tea and someone to sit with us and help us understand. Instead, at 5 o'clock at night, we wandered out into a rainy November car park and sat in the car and wept.
Posts
GT6 Chassis
7 hours ago
4 comments:
I guess it's baggage from days of yore when people could rely on the nuclear family for support. However, it seems strange that in these days of counsellors from everything from bullying to earting disorders that there's no-one to counsel you for the final curtain in the place you probably need it most.
When I was unwell (a strange auto-immune disease) my consultant was equally blunt. "Will it ever get better" I asked.. "No" he said. I didn't mind that. I hated more the way people came to see me and made such a fuss.. But yes, support is not offered at all, and yet there is quite a lot available if you look. I went out and searched on google and found what I needed but someone to point in the right direction isn't much too ask.
Thank you Lovely - I agree that there is lots of support if you look for it - but we needed that support right then. Right There.... What we didn't need was to be alone in a November carpark.
Quite..it never ceases to amaze me that the things that would make the most difference are the things that would cost the least.
Post a Comment